Flaming
by R Amythest
Summary: Ephidel reflects on the possiblity of a morph's emotions as he dies. LimstellaEpidel


Author's Notes: Here it is, my first Fire Emblem fic... Epidel/Limstella. While playing the first few chapters, I noticed Ephidel really did have a personality, and perhaps, feelings. However, Limstella seemed to be completely deadpan and obedient, with no emotion. That, and he dies rather prematurely... that's one reason why (almost) the whole thing's in italics. Hmm... interesting! Roll fic!  
  
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iThe lordlings were at it again. Hector tramped through the grass and wildflowers, arriving at the gate to shout, "Nergal's in there!!" He bore a confident, almost cocky grin, despite Eliwood's anxious premonitions. I almost laughed, seeing the dragon girl so loosely guarded.  
  
"Warp," I hissed, my body freeling light for a moment, then opening my eyes to the bright sunlight. The dragon child was right in front of me. Perfect. She's Nergal's now.  
  
I teleport away, leaving the lords stunned, their tactitian warbling about how she needed to get some sleep. Let her sleep. The lordlings will be crushed one by one, regardless of a decent leader or the lack of one.  
  
When I opened my eyes again, the grand, ancient furnishings of Dragon's Gate loom before me. Nergal eyes the girl and smirks. "Perfect... Ephidel, my puppet, you are excused."  
  
All that, before that dragon... that was the time when hope was there.  
  
But now I ponder what was worse -- wondering when to tell her, or knowing that she wouldn't agree.  
  
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Limstella -- sitting in the ancient ruins, black hair shining in the sun, golden eyes calm and shimmering.  
  
That was a dream of mine once. For some odd reason, I'm always an apparition in that dream. I'm always sitting on top of that gate. I wanted to hold her hand, but I couldn't. I wanted to jump down and stutter, "Hey, Limstella..." or maybe, "Nergal tells us that we're platonic. Do you agree...?" but I can't. I can't touch her, I can't feel her, and I can't speak. I'm unfeeling, mute, transparent -- a ghost perhaps? But then I'd be dust.  
  
Maybe I've always been dust to her. Or maybe she's just never known me more than one of her generation.  
  
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Nergal once told me that morphs were emotionless. Maybe I thought it myself. Perhaps I viewed only grief and mercy as emotions.  
  
I've met the morph named Kishuna once. Nergal regards him as less than an ordinary morph -- apparently one of his earlier morphs. Nergals says he's nothing much to converse with, nothing much to fight with, and nothing much to lead... mainly, nothing at all.  
  
Nergal was my master. I thought Kishuna was just some dumb nothing at first. But then I got close to him, and I felt... muted. An anger seemed to just sweep away my powers. I asked him, "What is it that you find anger in?"  
  
No response.  
  
"Me?"  
  
There was a flare of anger. Then I felt it. A vision of greif, of a younger Nergal. Then the one I've always known, an old, powerful sorcerer.  
  
"He thinks of us as nothing but underlings. You and me the same."  
  
Still mad.  
  
"If you won't tell me what's wrong, just please let me be angry with you..."  
  
The irratated vapor slowly died away and calmed itself.  
  
"So then -- Kishuna, was it? -- what do you know about love?"  
  
Yes, as that is an emotion as well...  
  
Perhaps Kishuna was not the only one made of emotion. Maybe Nergal made me with emotions, but not with others.  
  
But then, why? To torture me with my own lust?  
  
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So then, I decided that not all morphs were emotionless. With that, I fell asleep. And then that same recurring dream came to me again. First just a swirl of color, then slowly taking shape. Again, that golden-eyed beauty appeared, sitting in that gate, body swirling with energy.  
  
I felt that something was wrong. I felt that that might be the last time I would see her sitting in that brilliant sunlight. This place, I finally found, must've been my favorite spot on Valor. But it was so dusty, and the pillars were halfway shattered. Yet she sat there in quiet content.  
  
I floated down that time and sat down next to her, holding her hand and whispering, "So then, do you believe love is an emotion?"  
  
Her eyes glinted with a bright red flame. "I am not human. This body and heart are merely constructs. Yes, as this is sorrow...."  
  
She was not speaking to me.  
  
Then I noticed the lance, piercing her heart, and her body, slowly turning to ash.  
  
------  
  
I woke that morning. It was a sign. It had to be. But that... that was the dawn of the day that the dragon would appear and take my life. I didn't know it. But it was my final day.  
  
Unknowingly, I asked the question that would leave me with so many doubts.  
  
"Limstella," I whispered, "my equal morph in every way, do you believe love is an emotion?"  
  
"Love?" she droned in her quiet monotone. "Love is what Nergal feels for quintessence. It is what continues the line of humans and dragons alike..."  
  
"...Have you ever felt it?" I asked again, slightly disappointed.  
  
"Felt? I do not feel. You do not feel. Certainly you understand."  
  
"Mm..." I rose from my chair and walked quickly down to the hall where Nergal would be waiting. But I hesitated and looked back at Limstella.  
  
Her eyes were gold with red sparkles.  
  
She was not my equal morph. She had no emotion. And yet... what were those sparkles?/i  
  
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But that day... perhaps I saw fire in her eyes?  
  
Or was it sunlight, warped in tears?  
  
Fire, fire, as I lay dying.  
  
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Endnotes: Aww! I'm pretty sure most of you remember Epidel's death at the end of Chapter 19/Hector20, "Dragon's Gate." I'm not sure whether he died after he was sucked into the dragon's gate, or if he died as the dragon was blasting as it appeared. I chose the latter for the purpose of this fic. I know it was rather short, but nonetheless, I feel it was sweet. Besides, I don't want to overwhelm you all with a huge fic as my first FE one! Well... please review... and someone please leave me a Lucius Muse! I wuv da wittle monk! ^^ (Look for more Black Fang pairing one-shots from me...) 


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